History
Over the years Karen and I have had the privilege of sharing used glasses with those who have none. By doing simple eye exams we have been able to set up and train local volunteers to match eye needs with donated eye glasses from Canada. This is a very rewarding way of sharing our resources and sharing our love and faith through action with others in Guatemala, Peru and Kenya. This is a ministry almost anyone can pick up and the effect on others is remarkable. It does not involve a great deal of training, it is low cost and can be done almost anywhere. We have held clinics under trees, in schools, in churches along side the road and in gravel pits.

Where ever the need the opportunity is. It is an opportunity of sharing our resources and caring for others in a very tangible life changing way. We realize that there are many we can not help, like those with eye disease or other problems that corrective glasses can not assist with but there are many we can assist in seeing clearer again. Helping people help themself is the ultimate aim of this service If local volunteers can be trained to do this service and a supply of glasses maintained; it can be a ongoing service administered by members of the community for others members of the community.

What can I do?
If anyone would like to know more about these possibilities feel free to contact me . We love talking about the volunteer opportunities. Write Earle Illsley, 12 Glenlee Drive, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada, B4N 4Y5. Email:
theillsleys@eastlink.ca.

What can happen (stories of success).

Here are stories of how people have been helped by used eye glasses and dollar store reading glasses The following are some examples of experiences we have had in Guatemala, Peru and Kenya. There are many more but this gives you a sample of the opportunities to work with our brothers and sisters in this world to make life a little better.

Tree climber:
On a hot day in the amazon basin of Peru the eye glass clinic was
continuing on as expected. A short middle aged man wearing very worn
and tattered clothes came in for an assessment . After asking him what his problem was, he explained that he climbs trees for a living and gathered the fruit but could no longer see if there was any fruit on the tree and therefore had to almost climb to the top to see if there was any. This was both time consuming, tiring and dangerous. We went thought the exam and I found a pair of donated glasses using the eye chart. We then went for a walk out to some trees, I asked him how many fruit could he see in the tree and he turned and smiled giving me the correct number. He turned again looking at all the trees quietly counting the numbers of fruit in the trees with a large smile he turned and shook my hand with both of his . I stood and watched as he and his friends started the three hour walk back to his village. The rain was coming and they were in a hurry to get back home before it was to dark but fore him the trip had been a success New vision for this man had help bring back his livelihood.

Tree climber.

Needle work:
Two old sisters came hobbling into the clinic in Nenton Guatemala. They had walked about an hour and had been waiting for a few hours. They smiled and sat down in the chairs in front of me. As I asked what the problem was they gestured that they could no longer do the fine embroidery that they did as a means of earning money. They looked like they were both in their eighties with very weathered faces and a smile that took up half of their face. Neither could read and we could not speak each others language they spoke in their Mayan dialect and we did not have anyone who could translate this dialect. It turns out that they could no longer thread the needles they used to do their fine work. I was able to find some needles and we started testing out glasses with these as our test instruments. One lady tried on a pair held the needle up in front of her and threaded the needle a huge smile came over her face and as she turned to her sister they both smiled and you could sense the joy. They both received glasses that day and as they were about to leave the clinic they both came up to me and gave me a big hug. I was thinking if only the donors of those glasses could see what joy they had brought to these two great women.

Two Sisters.

Children in school:
As a teenager came rolling up in her wheelchair we greeted her as a friend. We had come to know her over the couple of weeks and it was now time for her to be tested for glasses. She was one of those children who made things a little brighter by her presence. She lived in a school for the physically disabled in Kenya. Although not able to speak very clearly and confined to her chair she was always making notes in a little book. She had a problem seeing the board and so she was fitted with glasses and her smile became even larger than normal. For many children if they do not get corrective glasses their chances in school will suffer. Children may even drop out of school if they can not read the board and it is not seen as a vision problem but as an inability to learn. Since glasses are not ready available and vision not tested many children have missed out on a education due to the lack of a inexpensive pair of glasses.

School child.

Truck driver:
From time to time we find out what individuals do for a living as we are testing their vision. This gentleman came in and could not see the top e on the chart after fitting him with a pair of used glasses he could now see things that he did not even know existed. Again a smile came over his face. We asked him what he did. He said he was a truck driver. It was scary knowing that he had been driving a large truck on those winding mountain road and realising what he could not see. The roads are much safer because of someone has donated a used pair of glasses

An old man coming in a wheelbarrow:
I looked out across the school yard of the school we were using in Guatemala and saw a young man wheeling his father in a old wheelbarrow across the compound. As he helped this man out of the wheelbarrow, I was wondering what was I going to be able to do to help. We had a nice talk about what a great day it was and then down to business. After some trial and error we were able to find a pair of glasses and some sun glasses for the man. He and his son were so excited. After saying goodby, I turned to put away some glasses and turning again looked out into the court yard to see the old man walking unassisted with the son wheeling an empty wheelbarrow. The old man was looking around with a new sense of wonder at the things he had not seen for a long time. Someone's old glasses has given this man a new sight on life.

Thank you for considering this simple and potentially life changing act of compassion.